Bacteria and Archaea

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1 27 Bacteria and Archaea KEY CONC EPTS 27.1 Structural and functional adaptations contribute to prokaryotic success 27.2 Rapid reproduction, mutation, and genetic recombination promote genetic diversity in prokaryotes 27.3 Diverse nutritional and metabolic adaptations have evolved in prokaryotes 27.4 Prokaryotes have radiated into a diverse set of lineages 27.5 Prokaryotes play crucial roles in the biosphere 27.6 Prokaryotes have both beneficial and harmful impacts on humans Masters of Adaptation Figure 27.1 Why is this lake s water pink? At certain times of year, the Laguna Salada de Torrevieja in Spain (the Salty Lagoon ) appears pink (Figure 27.1), a sign of waters many times saltier than seawater. Yet despite these harsh conditions, the dramatic color is caused not by minerals or other nonliving sources, but by living things. What organisms can live in such an inhospitable environment, and how do they do it? The pink color in the Laguna Salada de Torrevieja comes from trillions of prokaryotes in the domains Archaea and Bacteria, including archaea in the genus Halobacterium. These archaea have red membrane pigments, some of which capture light energy that is used to drive ATP synthesis. Halobacterium species are among the most salt-tolerant organisms on Earth; they thrive in salinities that dehydrate and kill other cells. A Halobacterium cell compensates for water lost through osmosis by pumping potassium ions (K + ) into the cell until the ionic concentration inside the cell matches the concentration outside. Like Halobacterium, many other prokaryotes can tolerate extreme conditions. Examples include Deinococcus radiodurans, which can survive 3 million rads of radiation (3,000 times the dose fatal to humans), and Picrophilus oshimae, which can grow at a ph of 0.03 (acidic enough to dissolve metal). Other prokaryotes live 567

2 in environments that are too cold or too hot for most other organisms, and some have even been found living in rocks 3.2 km (2 miles) below Earth s surface. Prokaryotic species are also very well adapted to more normal habitats the lands and waters in which most other species are found. Their ability to adapt to a broad range of habitats helps explain why prokaryotes are the most abundant organisms on Earth: Indeed, the number of prokaryotes in a handful of fertile soil is greater than the number of people who have ever lived. In this chapter, we ll examine the adaptations, diversity, and enormous ecological impact of these remarkable organisms. CONCEPT 27.1 Structural and functional adaptations contribute to prokaryotic success The first organisms to inhabit Earth were prokaryotes that lived 3.5 billion years ago (see Chapter 25). Throughout their long evolutionary history, prokaryotic populations have been (and continue to be) subjected to natural selection in all kinds of environments, resulting in their enormous diversity today. We ll begin by describing prokaryotes. Most prokaryotes are unicellular, although the cells of some species remain attached to each other after cell division. Prokaryotic cells typically have diameters of μm, much smaller than the μm diameter of many eukaryotic cells. (One notable exception, Thiomargarita namibiensis, can be as large as 750 μm in diameter bigger than the dot on this i.) Prokaryotic cells have a variety of shapes (Figure 27.2). Finally, although they are unicellular and small, prokaryotes are well organized, achieving all of an organism s life functions within a single cell. Cell-Surface Structures A key feature of nearly all prokaryotic cells is the cell wall, which maintains cell shape, protects the cell, and prevents it from bursting in a hypotonic environment (see Figure 7.12). In a hypertonic environment, most prokaryotes lose water and shrink away from their wall (plasmolyze). Such water losses can inhibit cell reproduction. Thus, salt can be used to preserve foods because it causes food-spoiling prokaryotes to lose water, preventing them from rapidly multiplying. The cell walls of prokaryotes differ in structure from those of eukaryotes. In eukaryotes that have cell walls, such as plants and fungi, the walls are usually made of cellulose or chitin (see Concept 5.2). In contrast, most bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan, a polymer composed of modified sugars cross-linked by short polypeptides. This molecular fabric encloses the entire bacterium and anchors other 1 μm 1 μm molecules that extend from its surface. Archaeal cell walls contain a variety of polysaccharides and proteins but lack peptidoglycan. Using a technique called the Gram stain, developed by the 19th-century Danish physician Hans Christian Gram, scientists can categorize many bacterial species according to differences in cell wall composition. To do this, samples are first stained with crystal violet dye and iodine, then rinsed in alcohol, and finally stained with a red dye such as safranin. The structure of a bacterium s cell wall determines the staining response (Figure 27.3). Gram-positive bacteria have simpler walls with a relatively large amount of peptidoglycan. Gram-negative bacteria have less peptidoglycan and are structurally more complex, with an outer membrane that contains lipopolysaccharides (carbohydrates bonded to lipids). Gram staining is a valuable tool in medicine for quickly determining if a patient s infection is due to gram-negative or to gram-positive bacteria. This information has treatment implications. The lipid portions of the lipopolysaccharides in the walls of many gram-negative bacteria are toxic, causing fever or shock. Furthermore, the outer membrane of a gram-negative bacterium helps protect it from the body s defenses. Gram-negative bacteria also tend to be more resistant than gram-positive species to antibiotics because the outer membrane impedes entry of the drugs. However, certain gram-positive species have virulent strains that are resistant to one or more antibiotics. (Figure discusses 3 μm (a) Spherical (b) Rod-shaped (c) Spiral Figure 27.2 The most common shapes of prokaryotes. (a) Cocci (singular, coccus) are spherical prokaryotes. They occur singly, in pairs (diplococci), in chains of many cells (streptococci), and in clusters resembling bunches of grapes (staphylococci). (b) Bacilli (singular, bacillus) are rod-shaped prokaryotes. They are usually solitary, but in some forms the rods are arranged in chains (streptobacilli). (c) Spiral prokaryotes include spirilla, which range from comma-like shapes to loose coils, and spirochetes (shown here), which are corkscrew-shaped (colorized SEMs). 568 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

3 Figure 27.3 Gram staining. (a) Gram-positive bacteria (b) Gram-negative bacteria Gram-positive bacteria Gram-negative bacteria Carbohydrate portion of lipopolysaccharide Cell wall Peptidoglycan layer Plasma membrane 10 μm Cell wall Outer membrane Peptidoglycan layer Plasma membrane Gram-positive bacteria have a thick wall made of peptidoglycan. The crystal violet enters the cell, where it forms a complex with the iodine in the stain. Too large to pass through the thick cell wall, this complex is not removed by the alcohol rinse. Result: The crystal violet masks the red safranin dye. Gram-negative bacteria have a thin layer of peptidoglycan, which is located between the plasma membrane and an outer membrane. The crystal violet iodine complex can pass through this thin cell wall and hence is removed by the alcohol rinse. Result: The safranin dye stains the cell pink or red. one example: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, which can cause lethal skin infections.) The effectiveness of certain antibiotics, such as penicillin, derives from their inhibition of peptidoglycan cross-linking. The resulting cell wall may not be functional, particularly in gram-positive bacteria. Such drugs destroy many species of pathogenic bacteria without adversely affecting human cells, which do not have peptidoglycan. The cell wall of many prokaryotes is surrounded by a sticky layer of polysaccharide or protein. This layer is called a capsule if it is dense and well-defined (Figure 27.4) or a slime layer if it is not as well organized. Both kinds of sticky outer layers enable prokaryotes to adhere to their substrate or to other individuals in a colony. Some capsules and slime layers protect against dehydration, and some shield pathogenic prokaryotes from attacks by their host s immune system. In another way of withstanding harsh conditions, certain bacteria develop resistant cells called endospores when they lack an essential nutrient (Figure 27.5). The original cell produces a copy of its chromosome and surrounds that copy with a tough multilayered structure, forming the endospore. Bacterial cell wall Bacterial capsule Coat Endospore Tonsil cell 200 nm Figure 27.4 Capsule. The polysaccharide capsule around this Streptococcus bacterium enables the prokaryote to attach to cells in the respiratory tract in this colorized TEM, a tonsil cell. 0.3 μm Figure 27.5 An endospore. Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes the disease anthrax, produces endospores (TEM). An endospore s protective, multilayered coat helps it survive in the soil for years. C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 569

4 Fimbriae Motility About half of all prokaryotes are capable of taxis, a directed movement toward or away from a stimulus (from the Greek taxis, to arrange). For example, prokaryotes that exhibit chemotaxis change their movement pattern in response to chemicals. They may move toward nutrients or oxygen (positive chemotaxis) or away from a toxic substance (negative chemotaxis). Some species can move at velocities exceeding 50 μm/sec up to 50 times their body length per second. For perspective, consider that a person 1.7 m tall moving that fast would be running 306 km (190 miles) per hour! 1 μm Figure 27.6 Fimbriae. These numerous protein-containing appendages enable some prokaryotes to attach to surfaces or to other cells (colorized TEM). Water is removed from the endospore, and its metabolism halts. The original cell then lyses, releasing the endospore. Most endospores are so durable that they can survive in boiling water; killing them requires heating lab equipment to 121 C under high pressure. In less hostile environments, endospores can remain dormant but viable for centuries, able to rehydrate and resume metabolism when their environment improves. Finally, some prokaryotes stick to their substrate or to one another by means of hairlike appendages called fimbriae (singular, fimbria) (Figure 27.6). For example, the bacterium that causes gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, uses fimbriae to fasten itself to the mucous membranes of its host. Fimbriae are usually shorter and more numerous than pili (singular, pilus), appendages that pull two cells together prior to DNA transfer from one cell to the other (see Figure 27.12); pili are sometimes referred to as sex pili. Cell wall Plasma membrane Of the various structures that enable prokaryotes to move, the most common are flagella (Figure 27.7). Flagella (singular, flagellum) may be scattered over the entire surface of the cell or concentrated at one or both ends. Prokaryotic flagella differ greatly from eukaryotic flagella: They are onetenth the width and typically are not covered by an extension of the plasma membrane (see Figure 6.24). The flagella of prokaryotes and eukaryotes also differ in their molecular composition and their mechanism of propulsion. Among prokaryotes, bacterial and archaeal flagella are similar in size and propulsion mechanism, but they are composed of entirely different and unrelated proteins. Overall, these structural and molecular comparisons indicate that the flagella of bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes arose independently. Since current evidence shows that the flagella of organisms in the three domains perform similar functions but are not related by common descent, they are described as analogous, not homologous, structures. Evolutionary Origins of Bacterial Flagella The bacterial flagellum shown in Figure 27.7 has three main parts (the motor, hook, and filament) that are themselves composed of 42 different kinds of proteins. How could such a complex structure evolve? In fact, much evidence indicates that bacterial flagella originated as simpler structures that were modified in a stepwise fashion over time. As in the case of the human eye (see Concept 25.6), biologists asked whether a less complex version of the flagellum could still benefit its owner. Analyses of hundreds of bacterial genomes indicate that Flagellum Rod Motor Hook Peptidoglycan layer Filament 20 nm Figure 27.7 A prokaryotic flagellum. The motor of a prokaryotic flagellum consists of a system of rings embedded in the cell wall and plasma membrane (TEM). The electron transport chain pumps protons out of the cell. The diffusion of protons back into the cell provides the force that turns a curved hook and thereby causes the attached filament to rotate and propel the cell. (This diagram shows flagellar structures characteristic of gram-negative bacteria.) 570 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

5 only half of the flagellum s protein components appear to be necessary for it to function; the others are inessential or not encoded in the genomes of some species. Of the 21 proteins required by all species studied to date, 19 are modified versions of proteins that perform other tasks in bacteria. For example, a set of 10 proteins in the motor are homologous to 10 similar proteins in a secretory system found in bacteria. (A secretory system is a protein complex that enables a cell to secrete certain macromolecules.) Two other proteins in the motor are homologous to proteins that function in ion transport. The proteins that comprise the rod, hook, and filament are all related to each other and are descended from an ancestral protein that formed a pilus-like tube. These findings suggest that the bacterial flagellum evolved as other proteins were added to an ancestral secretory system. This is an example of exaptation, the process in which existing structures take on new functions through descent with modification. Internal Organization and DNA The cells of prokaryotes are simpler than those of eukaryotes in both their internal structure and the physical arrangement of their DNA (see Figure 6.5). Prokaryotic cells lack the complex compartmentalization associated with the membraneenclosed organelles found in eukaryotic cells. However, some prokaryotic cells do have specialized membranes that perform metabolic functions (Figure 27.8). These membranes are usually infoldings of the plasma membrane. Recent discoveries also indicate that some prokaryotes can store metabolic by-products in simple compartments that are made out of proteins; these compartments do not have a membrane. The genome of a prokaryote is structurally different from a eukaryotic genome and in most cases has considerably less 0.2 μm Respiratory membrane (a) Aerobic prokaryote 1 μm Thylakoid membranes (b) Photosynthetic prokaryote Figure 27.8 Specialized membranes of prokaryotes. (a) Infoldings of the plasma membrane, reminiscent of the cristae of mitochondria, function in cellular respiration in some aerobic prokaryotes (TEM). (b) Photosynthetic prokaryotes called cyanobacteria have thylakoid membranes, much like those in chloroplasts (TEM). DNA. Prokaryotes generally have circular chromosomes (Figure 27.9), whereas eukaryotes have linear chromosomes. In addition, in prokaryotes the chromosome is associated with many fewer proteins than are the chromosomes of eukaryotes. Also unlike eukaryotes, prokaryotes lack a nucleus; their chromosome is located in the nucleoid, a region of cytoplasm that is not enclosed by a membrane. In addition to its single chromosome, a typical prokaryotic cell may also have much smaller rings of independently replicating DNA molecules called plasmids (see Figure 27.9), most carrying only a few genes. Although DNA replication, transcription, and translation are fundamentally similar processes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, some of the details are different (see Chapter 17). For example, prokaryotic ribosomes are slightly smaller than eukaryotic ribosomes and differ in their protein and RNA content. These differences allow certain antibiotics, such as erythromycin and tetracycline, to bind to ribosomes and block protein synthesis in prokaryotes but not in eukaryotes. As a result, people can use these antibiotics to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria without harming themselves. Reproduction Chromosome Plasmids 1 μm Figure 27.9 A prokaryotic chromosome and plasmids. The thin, tangled loops surrounding this ruptured E. coli cell are parts of the cell s large, circular chromosome (colorized TEM). Three of the cell s plasmids, the much smaller rings of DNA, are also shown. Many prokaryotes can reproduce quickly in favorable environments. By binary fission (see Figure 12.12), a single prokaryotic cell divides into 2 cells, which then divide into 4, 8, 16, and so on. Under optimal conditions, many prokaryotes can divide every 1 3 hours; some species can produce a new generation in only 20 minutes. At this rate, a single prokaryotic cell could give rise to a colony outweighing Earth in only two days! C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 571

6 In reality, of course, this does not occur. The cells eventually exhaust their nutrient supply, poison themselves with metabolic wastes, face competition from other microorganisms, or are consumed by other organisms. Still, the fact that many prokaryotic species can divide after short periods of time draws attention to three key features of their biology: They are small, they reproduce by binary fission, and they often have short generation times. As a result, prokaryotic populations can consist of many trillions of individuals far more than populations of multicellular eukaryotes, such as plants or animals. CONC EPT CHECK Identify and explain two adaptations that enable prokaryotes to survive in environments too harsh for other organisms. 2. Contrast the cellular and DNA structures of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. 3. MAKE CONNECTIONS Suggest a hypothesis to explain why the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts resemble those of cyanobacteria. Refer to Figures 6.18 and CONCEPT 27.2 For suggested answers, see Appendix A. Rapid reproduction, mutation, and genetic recombination promote genetic diversity in prokaryotes As we discussed in Unit Four, evolution cannot occur without genetic variation. The diverse adaptations exhibited by prokaryotes suggest that their populations must have considerable genetic variation and they do. In this section, we ll examine three factors that give rise to high levels of genetic diversity in prokaryotes: rapid reproduction, mutation, and genetic recombination. Rapid Reproduction and Mutation In sexually reproducing species, the generation of a novel allele by a new mutation is rare for any particular gene. Instead, most of the genetic variation in sexual populations results from the way existing alleles are arranged in new combinations during meiosis and fertilization (see Chapter 13). Prokaryotes do not reproduce sexually, so at first glance their extensive genetic variation may seem puzzling. But in many species, this variation can result from a combination of rapid reproduction and mutation. Consider the bacterium Escherichia coli as it reproduces by binary fission in a human intestine, one of its natural environments. After repeated rounds of division, most of the offspring cells are genetically identical to the original parent cell. However, if errors occur during DNA replication, some of the offspring cells may differ genetically. The probability of such a mutation occurring in a given E. coli gene is about one in 10 million (1 * 10 7 ) per cell division. But among the 2 * new E. coli cells that arise each day in a person s intestine, Figure Inquiry Can prokaryotes evolve rapidly in response to environmental change? Experiment Vaughn Cooper and Richard Lenski tested the ability of E. coli populations to adapt to a new environment. They established 12 populations, each founded by a single cell from an E. coli strain, and followed these populations for 20,000 generations (3,000 days). To maintain a continual supply Old tube (discarded after transfer) Daily serial transfer 0.1 ml (population sample) New tube (9.9 ml growth medium) of resources, each day the researchers performed a serial transfer: They transferred 0.1 ml of each population to a new tube containing 9.9 ml of fresh growth medium. The growth medium used throughout the experiment provided a challenging environment that contained only low levels of glucose and other resources needed for growth. Samples were periodically removed from the 12 populations and grown in competition with the common ancestral strain in the experimental (low-glucose) environment. Results The fitness of the experimental populations, as measured by the growth rate of each population, increased rapidly for the first 5,000 generations (2 years) and more slowly for the next 15,000 generations. The graph shows the averages for the 12 populations. Population growth rate (relative to ancestral population) Experimental populations (average) Ancestral population 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 Generation Conclusion Populations of E. coli continued to accumulate beneficial mutations for 20,000 generations, allowing rapid evolution of increased population growth rates in their new environment. Source: V. S. Cooper and R. E. Lenski, The population genetics of ecological specialization in evolving Escherichia coli populations, Nature 407: (2000). WHAT I F? Suggest possible functions of the genes whose sequence or expression was altered as the experimental populations evolved in the low-glucose environment. 572 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

7 there will be approximately (2 * 1010) * (1 * 10 7) = 2,000 bacteria that have a mutation in that gene. The total number of mutations when all 4,300 E. coli genes are considered is about 4,300 * 2,000 = 9 million per day per human host. The key point is that new mutations, though rare on a per gene basis, can increase genetic diversity quickly in species with short generation times and large populations. This diversity, in turn, can lead to rapid evolution: Individuals that are genetically better equipped for their environment tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals (Figure 27.10). The ability of prokaryotes to adapt rapidly to new conditions highlights the point that although the structure of their cells is simpler than that of eukaryotic cells, prokaryotes are not primitive or inferior in an evolutionary sense. They are, in fact, highly evolved: For 3.5 billion years, prokaryotic populations have responded successfully to many types of environmental challenges. Genetic Recombination Although new mutations are a major source of variation in prokaryotic populations, additional diversity arises from genetic recombination, the combining of DNA from two sources. In eukaryotes, the sexual processes of meiosis and fertilization combine DNA from two individuals in a single zygote. But meiosis and fertilization do not occur in prokaryotes. Instead, three other mechanisms transformation, transduction, and conjugation can bring together prokaryotic DNA from different individuals (that is, different cells). When the individuals are members of different species, this movement of genes from one organism to another is called horizontal gene transfer. Although scientists have found evidence that each of these mechanisms can transfer DNA within and between species in both domain Bacteria and domain Archaea, to date most of our knowledge comes from research on bacteria. Transformation and Transduction In transformation, the genotype and possibly phenotype of a prokaryotic cell are altered by the uptake of foreign DNA from its surroundings. For example, a harmless strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae can be transformed into pneumonia-causing cells if the cells are exposed to DNA from a pathogenic strain (see Concept 16.1). This transformation occurs when a nonpathogenic cell takes up a piece of DNA carrying the allele for pathogenicity and replaces its own allele with the foreign allele, an exchange of homologous DNA segments. The cell is now a recombinant: Its chromosome contains DNA derived from two different cells. For many years after transformation was discovered in laboratory cultures, most biologists thought the process to be too rare and haphazard to play an important role in natural bacterial populations. But researchers have since learned that many bacteria have cell-surface proteins that recognize DNA from closely related species and transport it into the cell. Once inside the cell, the foreign DNA can be incorporated into the genome by homologous DNA exchange. In transduction, phages (from bacteriophages, the viruses that infect bacteria) carry prokaryotic genes from one host cell to another. In most cases, transduction results from accidents that occur during the phage replicative cycle (Figure 27.11). A virus that carries prokaryotic DNA may not be able to replicate because it lacks some or all of its own genetic material. However, the virus can attach to another prokaryotic cell (a recipient) and inject prokaryotic DNA acquired from the first cell (the donor). If some of this DNA is then incorporated into the recipient cell s chromosome by crossing over, a recombinant cell is formed. Phage DNA 1 A phage infects a bacterial cell that carries the A+ and B+ alleles on its chromosome (brown). This bacterium will be the donor cell. A+ B + Donor cell 2 The phage DNA is replicated, and the cell makes many copies of the proteins encoded by its genes. Meanwhile, certain phage proteins halt the synthesis of proteins encoded by the host cell s DNA, and the host cell s DNA may be fragmented, as shown here. A+ B+ 3 As new phage particles assemble, a fragment of bacterial DNA carrying the A + allele happens to be packaged in a phage capsid. A+ Crossing over 4 The phage carrying the A + allele from the donor cell infects a recipient A+ cell with alleles A and B. Crossing over at two sites (dotted A B lines) allows donor DNA (brown) to be incorporated into recipient Recipient DNA (green). cell Recombinant cell 5 The genotype of the resulting recombinant cell (A+B ) differs from the genotypes of both the donor (A+B+) and the recipient (A B ). A+ B Figure Transduction. Phages may carry pieces of a bacterial chromosome from one cell (the donor) to another (the recipient). If crossing over occurs after the transfer, genes from the donor may be incorporated into the recipient s genome.? Under what circumstances would a transduction event result in horizontal gene transfer? CHAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 573

8 Conjugation and Plasmids Sex pilus 1 μm Figure Bacterial conjugation. The E. coli donor cell (left) extends a pilus that attaches to a recipient cell, a key first step in the transfer of DNA. The pilus is a flexible tube of protein subunits (TEM). Figure Conjugation and recombination in E. coli. The DNA replication that accompanies transfer of an F plasmid or part of an Hfr bacterial chromosome is called rolling circle replication. In effect, the intact circular parental DNA strand rolls as its other strand peels off and a new complementary strand is synthesized. F plasmid In a process called conjugation, DNA is transferred between two prokaryotic cells (usually of the same species) that are temporarily joined. In bacteria, the DNA transfer is always one-way: One cell donates the DNA, and the other receives it. We ll focus here on the mechanism used by E. coli. First, a pilus of the donor cell attaches to the recipient (Figure 27.12). The pilus then retracts, pulling the two cells together, like a grappling hook. The next step is thought to be the formation of a temporary mating bridge structure between the two cells, through which the donor may transfer DNA to the recipient. However, the mechanism by which DNA transfer occurs is unclear; indeed, recent evidence indicates that DNA may pass directly through the hollow pilus. The ability to form pili and donate DNA during conjugation results from the presence of a particular piece of DNA called the F factor (F for fertility). The F factor of E. coli consists of about 25 genes, most required for the production of pili. As shown in Figure 27.13, the F factor can Bacterial chromosome F+ cell (donor) F+ cell Mating bridge F+ cell F cell (recipient) Bacterial chromosome 1 A cell carrying an F plasmid (an F+ cell) forms a mating bridge with an F cell. One strand of the plasmid s DNA breaks at the point marked by the arrowhead. 2 Using the unbroken strand as a template, the cell synthesizes a new strand (light blue). Meanwhile, the broken strand peels off (red arrow), and one end enters the F cell. There synthesis of its complementary strand begins. 3 DNA replication continues in both the donor and recipient cells, as the transferred plasmid strand moves farther into the recipient cell. 4 Once DNA transfer and synthesis are completed, the plasmid in the recipient cell circularizes. The recipient cell is now a recombinant F+ cell. (a) Conjugation and transfer of an F plasmid Hfr cell (donor) A+ A+ A+ A A+ F factor F cell (recipient) A 1 In an Hfr cell, the F factor (dark blue) is integrated into the bacterial chromosome. Since an Hfr cell has all of the F factor genes, it can form a mating bridge with an F cell and transfer DNA. A 2 A single strand of the F factor breaks and begins to move through the bridge. DNA replication occurs in both donor and recipient cells, resulting in double-stranded DNA (daughter strands shown in lighter color). A+ A 3 The mating bridge usually breaks before the entire chromosome is transferred. Crossing over at two sites (dotted lines) can result in the exchange of homologous genes between the transferred DNA (brown) and the recipient s chromosome (green). (b) Conjugation and transfer of part of an Hfr bacterial chromosome, resulting in recombination 574 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity A+ Recombinant F bacterium 4 Cellular enzymes degrade any linear DNA not incorporated into the chromosome. The recipient cell, with a new combination of genes but no F factor, is now a recombinant F cell.

9 exist either as a plasmid or as a segment of DNA within the bacterial chromosome. The F Factor as a Plasmid The F factor in its plasmid form is called the F plasmid. Cells containing the F plasmid, designated F + cells, function as DNA donors during conjugation (Figure 27.13a). Cells lacking the F factor, designated F -, function as DNA recipients during conjugation. The F + condition is transferable in the sense that an F + cell converts an F - cell to F + if a copy of the entire F plasmid is transferred. The F Factor in the Chromosome Chromosomal genes can be transferred during conjugation when the donor cell s F factor is integrated into the chromosome. A cell with the F factor built into its chromosome is called an Hfr cell (for high frequency of recombination). Like an F + cell, an Hfr cell functions as a donor during conjugation with an F - cell (Figure 27.13b). When chromosomal DNA from an Hfr cell enters an F - cell, homologous regions of the Hfr and F - chromosomes may align, allowing segments of their DNA to be exchanged. As a result, the recipient cell becomes a recombinant bacterium that has genes derived from the chromosomes of two different cells a new genetic variant on which evolution can act. R Plasmids and Antibiotic Resistance During the 1950s in Japan, physicians started noticing that some hospital patients with bacterial dysentery, which produces severe diarrhea, did not respond to antibiotics that had been effective in the past. Apparently, resistance to these antibiotics had evolved in some strains of Shigella, the bacterium that causes the disease. Eventually, researchers began to identify the specific genes that confer antibiotic resistance in Shigella and other pathogenic bacteria. Sometimes, mutation in a chromosomal gene of the pathogen can confer resistance. For example, a mutation in one gene may make it less likely that the pathogen will transport a particular antibiotic into its cell. Mutation in a different gene may alter the intracellular target protein for an antibiotic molecule, reducing its inhibitory effect. In other cases, bacteria have resistance genes, which code for enzymes that specifically destroy or otherwise hinder the effectiveness of certain antibiotics, such as tetracycline or ampicillin. Such resistance genes are often carried by plasmids known as R plasmids (R for resistance). Exposing a bacterial population to a specific antibiotic will kill antibiotic-sensitive bacteria but not those that happen to have R plasmids with genes that counter the antibiotic. Under these circumstances, we would predict that natural selection would cause the fraction of the bacterial population carrying genes for antibiotic resistance to increase, and that is exactly what happens. The medical consequences are also predictable: Resistant strains of pathogens are becoming more common, making the treatment of certain bacterial infections more difficult. The problem is compounded by the fact that many R plasmids, like F plasmids, have genes that encode pili and enable DNA transfer from one bacterial cell to another by conjugation. Making the problem still worse, some R plasmids carry as many as ten genes for resistance to that many antibiotics. CONC EPT CHECK Although rare on a per gene basis, new mutations can add considerable genetic variation to prokaryotic populations in each generation. Explain how this occurs. 2. Distinguish between the three mechanisms of transferring DNA from one bacterial cell to another. 3. In a rapidly changing environment, which bacterial population would likely be more successful, one that includes individuals capable of conjugation or one that does not? Explain. 4. WHAT I F? If a nonpathogenic bacterium were to acquire resistance to antibiotics, could this strain pose a health risk to people? In general, how does DNA transfer among bacteria affect the spread of resistance genes? CONCEPT 27.3 For suggested answers, see Appendix A. Diverse nutritional and metabolic adaptations have evolved in prokaryotes The extensive genetic variation found in prokaryotes is reflected in their diverse nutritional adaptations. Like all organisms, prokaryotes can be categorized by how they obtain energy and the carbon used in building the organic molecules that make up cells. Every type of nutrition observed in eukaryotes is represented among prokaryotes, along with some nutritional modes unique to prokaryotes. In fact, prokaryotes have an astounding range of metabolic adaptations, much broader than that found in eukaryotes. Organisms that obtain energy from light are called phototrophs, and those that obtain energy from chemicals are called chemotrophs. Organisms that need only CO 2 or related compounds as a carbon source are called autotrophs. In contrast, heterotrophs require at least one organic nutrient, such as glucose, to make other organic compounds. Combining possible energy sources and carbon sources results in four major modes of nutrition, summarized in Table 27.1 on the next page. The Role of Oxygen in Metabolism Prokaryotic metabolism also varies with respect to oxygen (O 2 ). Obligate aerobes must use O 2 for cellular respiration (see Chapter 9) and cannot grow without it. Obligate anaerobes, on the other hand, are poisoned by O 2. Some obligate anaerobes live exclusively by fermentation; others extract chemical energy by anaerobic respiration, in which substances other than O 2, such as nitrate ions (NO 3 - ) or C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 575

10 Table 27.1 Major Nutritional Modes Mode AUTOTROPH Energy Source sulfate ions (SO 4 2- ), accept electrons at the downhill end of electron transport chains. Facultative anaerobes use O 2 if it is present but can also carry out fermentation or anaerobic respiration in an anaerobic environment. Nitrogen Metabolism Carbon Source Photoautotroph Light CO 2, HCO - 3, or related compound Chemoautotroph HETEROTROPH Inorganic chemicals (such as H 2 S, NH 3, or Fe 2+ ) CO 2, HCO 3 -, or related compound Photoheterotroph Light Organic compounds Chemoheterotroph Organic compounds Organic compounds Types of Organisms Photosynthetic prokaryotes (for example, cyanobacteria); plants; certain protists (for example, algae) Unique to certain prokaryotes (for example, Sulfolobus) Unique to certain aquatic and salt-loving prokaryotes (for example, Rhodobacter, Chloroflexus) Many prokaryotes (for example, Clostridium) and protists; fungi; animals; some plants Nitrogen is essential for the production of amino acids and nucleic acids in all organisms. Whereas eukaryotes can obtain nitrogen from a limited group of nitrogen compounds, prokaryotes can metabolize nitrogen in many forms. For example, some cyanobacteria and some methanogens (a group of archaea) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ) to ammonia (NH 3 ), a process called nitrogen fixation. The cells can then incorporate this fixed nitrogen into amino acids and other organic molecules. In terms of nutrition, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria are some of the most selfsufficient organisms, since they need only light, CO 2, N 2, water, and some minerals to grow. Nitrogen fixation has a large impact on other organisms. For example, nitrogen-fixing pro karyotes can increase the nitrogen available to plants, which cannot use atmospheric nitrogen but can use the nitrogen compounds that the prokaryotes produce from ammonia. Concept 55.4 discusses this and other essential roles that prokaryotes play in the nitrogen cycles of ecosystems. Metabolic Cooperation Cooperation between prokaryotic cells allows them to use environmental resources they could not use as individual cells. In some cases, this cooperation takes place between specialized cells of a filament. For instance, the cyanobacterium Anabaena has genes that encode proteins for photosynthesis and for nitrogen fixation, but a single cell cannot carry out both processes at the same time. The reason is that photosynthesis produces O 2, which inactivates the enzymes involved in nitrogen fixation. Instead of living as isolated cells, Anabaena forms filamentous chains (Figure 27.14). Most cells in a filament carry out only photosynthesis, while a few specialized cells called heterocysts (sometimes called heterocytes) carry out only nitrogen fixation. Each heterocyst is surrounded by a thickened cell wall that restricts entry of O 2 produced by neighboring photosynthetic cells. Intercellular connections allow heterocysts to transport fixed nitrogen to neighboring cells and to receive carbohydrates. Metabolic cooperation between different prokaryotic species often occurs in surface-coating colonies known as biofilms. Cells in a biofilm secrete signaling molecules that recruit nearby cells, causing the colonies to grow. The cells also produce polysaccharides and proteins that stick the cells to the substrate and to one another; these polysaccharides and proteins form the capsule or slime layer mentioned earlier in the chapter. Channels in the biofilm allow nutrients to reach cells in the interior and wastes to be expelled. Biofilms are common in nature, but they can cause problems by contaminating industrial products and medical equipment and contributing to tooth decay and more serious health problems. Altogether, damage caused by biofilms costs billions of dollars annually. In another example of cooperation between prokaryotes, sulfate-consuming bacteria coexist with methane-consuming archaea in ball-shaped aggregates on the ocean floor. The bacteria appear to use the archaea s waste products, such as organic compounds and hydrogen. In turn, the bacteria produce sulfur compounds that the archaea use as oxidizing agents when they consume methane in the absence of 20 μm Photosynthetic cells Heterocyst Figure Metabolic cooperation in a prokaryote. In the filamentous freshwater cyanobacterium Anabaena, heterocysts fix nitrogen, while the other cells carry out photosynthesis (LM). 576 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

11 oxygen. This partnership has global ramifications: Each year, these archaea consume an estimated 300 billion kg of methane, a major greenhouse gas (see Concept 56.4). Eukaryotes Domain Eukarya CONC EPT CHECK Distinguish between the four major modes of nutrition, noting which are unique to prokaryotes. 2. A bacterium requires only the amino acid methionine as an organic nutrient and lives in lightless caves. What mode of nutrition does it employ? Explain. 3. WHAT I F? Describe what you might eat for a typical meal if humans, like cyanobacteria, could fix nitrogen. CONCEPT 27.4 For suggested answers, see Appendix A. Prokaryotes have radiated into a diverse set of lineages Since their origin 3.5 billion years ago, prokaryotic populations have radiated extensively as a wide range of structural and metabolic adaptations have evolved in them. Collectively, these adaptations have enabled prokaryotes to inhabit every environment known to support life if there are organisms in a particular place, some of those organisms are prokaryotes. In recent decades, advances in genomics are beginning to reveal the extent of prokaryotic diversity. An Overview of Prokaryotic Diversity In the 1970s, microbiologists began using small-subunit ribosomal RNA as a marker for evolutionary relationships. Their results indicated that many prokaryotes once classified as bacteria are actually more closely related to eukaryotes and belong in a domain of their own: Archaea. Microbiologists have since analyzed larger amounts of genetic data including more than 1,700 entire genomes and have concluded that a few traditional taxonomic groups, such as cyanobacteria, are monophyletic. However, other traditional groups, such as gram-negative bacteria, are scattered throughout several lineages. Figure shows one phylogenetic hypothesis for some of the major taxa of prokaryotes based on molecular systematics. One lesson from studying prokaryotic phylogeny is that the genetic diversity of prokaryotes is immense. When researchers began to sequence the genes of prokaryotes, they could investigate only the small fraction of species that could be cultured in the laboratory. In the 1980s, researchers began using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR; see Figure 20.8) to analyze the genes of prokaryotes collected from the environment (such as from soil or water samples). Such genetic prospecting is now widely used; in fact, today entire prokaryotic genomes can be obtained from environmental samples UNIVERSAL ANCESTOR using metagenomics (see Chapter 21). Each year these techniques add new branches to the tree of life. While only about 10,500 prokaryotic species worldwide have been assigned scientific names, a single handful of soil could contain 10,000 prokaryotic species by some estimates. Taking full stock of this diversity will require many years of research. Another important lesson from molecular systematics is that horizontal gene transfer has played a key role in the evolution of prokaryotes. Over hundreds of millions of years, prokaryotes have acquired genes from even distantly related species, and they continue to do so today. As a result, significant portions of the genomes of many prokaryotes are actually mosaics of genes imported from other species. For example, a 2011 study of 329 sequenced bacterial genomes found that an average of 75% of the genes in each genome had been transferred horizontally at some point in their evolutionary history. As we saw in Chapter 26, such gene transfers can make it difficult to determine phylogenetic relationships. Still, it is clear that for billions of years, the prokaryotes have evolved in two separate lineages, the bacteria and the archaea (see Figure 27.15). Bacteria Korarchaeotes Euryarchaeotes Crenarchaeotes Nanoarchaeotes Proteobacteria Chlamydias Spirochetes Cyanobacteria Gram-positive bacteria Figure A simplified phylogeny of prokaryotes. This phylogenetic tree based on molecular data shows one of several debated hypotheses of the relationships between the major prokaryotic groups discussed in this chapter. Within Archaea, the placement of the korarchaeotes and nanoarchaeotes remains unclear.? Which domain is the sister group of Archaea? Eukarya Archaea Bacteria Domain Archaea Domain Bacteria As surveyed in Figure 27.16, bacteria include the vast majority of prokaryotic species familiar to most people, from the C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 577

12 Figure Exploring Selected Major Groups of Bacteria Proteobacteria This large and diverse clade of gram-negative bacteria includes photoautotrophs, chemoautotrophs, and heterotrophs. Some proteobacteria are anaerobic, while others are aerobic. Molecular systematists currently recognize five subgroups of proteobacteria; the phylogenetic tree at right shows their relationships based on molecular data. Subgroup: Alpha Proteobacteria Many of the species in this subgroup are closely associated with eukaryotic hosts. For example, Rhizobium species live in nodules within the roots of legumes (plants of the pea/bean family), where the bacteria convert atmospheric N 2 to compounds the host plant can use to make proteins. Species in the genus Agrobacterium produce tumors in plants; genetic engineers use these bacteria to carry foreign DNA into the genomes of crop plants. Scientists hypothesize that mitochondria evolved from aerobic alpha proteobacteria through endosymbiosis. Subgroup: Beta Proteobacteria This nutritionally diverse subgroup includes Nitro somonas, a genus of soil bacteria that play an important role in nitrogen recycling by oxidizing ammonium (NH 4 + ), producing nitrite (NO 2 - ) as a waste product. Other members of this subgroup include a wide range of aquatic species, such as the photoheterotroph Rubrivivax, along with pathogens such as the species that causes gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Alpha Beta Gamma Delta Epsilon Proteobacteria Rhizobium (arrows) inside a root cell of a legume (TEM) 2.5 μm Nitrosomonas (colorized TEM) 1 μm Subgroup: Gamma Proteobacteria This subgroup s auto trophic members include sulfur bacteria such as Thiomargarita namibiensis, which obtain energy by oxidizing H 2 S, producing sulfur as a waste product (the small globules in the photograph at right). Some heterotrophic gamma proteobacteria are pathogens; for example, Legionella causes Legionnaires disease, Salmonella is responsible for some cases of food poisoning, and Vibrio cholerae causes cholera. Escherichia coli, a common resident of the intestines of humans and other mammals, normally is not pathogenic. Subgroup: Delta Proteobacteria This subgroup includes the slime-secreting myxobacteria. When the soil dries out or food is scarce, the cells congregate into a fruiting body that releases resistant myxospores. These cells found new colonies in favorable environments. Another group of delta proteobacteria, the bdellovibrios, attack other bacteria, charging at up to 100 µm/sec (comparable to a human running 240 km/hr). The attack begins when a bdellovibrio attaches to specific mol ecules found on the outer covering of some bacterial species. The bdellovibrio then drills into its prey by using digestive enzymes and spinning at 100 revolutions per second. Subgroup: Epsilon Proteobacteria Most species in this subgroup are pathogenic to humans or other animals. Epsilon proteobacteria include Campylobacter, which causes blood poisoning and intestinal inflammation, and Helicobacter pylori, which causes stomach ulcers. Thiomargarita namibiensis containing sulfur wastes (LM) 200 μm Fruiting bodies of Chondromyces crocatus, a myxobacterium (SEM) 300 μm Helicobacter pylori (colorized TEM) 2 μm 578 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

13 Chlamydias These parasites can survive only within animal cells, depending on their hosts for resources as basic as ATP. The gram-negative walls of chlamydias are unusual in that they lack peptidoglycan. One species, Chlamydia trachomatis, is the most common cause of blindness in the world and also causes nongonococcal urethritis, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Chlamydia (arrows) inside an animal cell (colorized TEM) 2.5 μm Spirochetes These gram-negative heterotrophs spiral through their environment by means of rotating, internal, flagellum-like filaments. Many spirochetes are free-living, but others are notorious pathogenic parasites: Treponema pallidum causes syphilis, and Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease (see Figure 27.20). Leptospira, a spirochete (colorized TEM) 5 μm Cyanobacteria These gram-negative photoautotrophs are the only prokaryotes with plantlike, oxygen-generating photosynthesis. (In fact, chloroplasts likely evolved from an endosymbiotic cyanobacterium.) Both solitary and filamentous cyanobacteria are abundant components of freshwater and marine phytoplankton, the collection of photosynthetic organisms that drift near the water s surface. Some filaments have cells specialized for nitrogen fixation, the process that incorporates atmospheric N 2 into inorganic compounds that can be used in the synthesis of amino acids and other organic molecules (see Figure 27.14). Oscillatoria, a filamentous cyanobacterium 40 μm Gram-Positive Bacteria Gram-positive bacteria rival the proteobacteria in diversity. Species in one subgroup, the actinomycetes (from the Greek mykes, fungus, for which these bacteria were once mistaken), form colonies containing branched chains of cells. Two species of actinomycetes cause tuberculosis and leprosy. However, most actinomycetes are free-living species that help decompose the organic matter in soil; their secretions are partly responsible for the earthy odor of rich soil. Soil-dwelling species in the genus Streptomyces (top) are cultured by pharmaceutical companies as a source of many antibiotics, including streptomycin. Gram-positive bacteria include many solitary species, such as Bacillus anthracis (see Figure 27.5), which causes anthrax, and Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. The various species of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus are also gram-positive bacteria. Mycoplasmas (bottom) are the only bacteria known to lack cell walls. They are also the tiniest known cells, with diameters as small as 0.1 µm, only about five times as large as a ribosome. Mycoplasmas have small genomes Mycoplasma genitalium has only 517 genes, for example. Many mycoplasmas are free-living soil bacteria, but others are pathogens. Streptomyces, the source of many antibiotics (SEM) 5 μm Hundreds of mycoplasmas covering a human fibroblast cell (colorized SEM) 2 μm C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 579

14 pathogenic species that cause strep throat and tuberculosis to the beneficial species used to make Swiss cheese and yogurt. Every major mode of nutrition and metabolism is represented among bacteria, and even a small taxonomic group of bacteria may contain species exhibiting many different nutritional modes. As we ll see, the diverse nutritional and metabolic capabilities of bacteria and archaea are behind the great impact these organisms have on Earth and its life. Archaea Eukarya Archaea Bacteria Archaea share certain traits with bacteria and other traits with eukaryotes (Table 27.2). However, archaea also have many unique characteristics, as we would expect in a taxon that has followed a separate evolutionary path for so long. The first prokaryotes assigned to domain Archaea live in environments so extreme that few other organisms can survive there. Such organisms are called extremophiles, meaning lovers of extreme conditions (from the Greek philos, lover), and include extreme halophiles and extreme thermophiles. Extreme halophiles (from the Greek halo, salt) live in highly saline environments, such as the Great Salt Lake in Utah, the Dead Sea in Israel, and the Spanish lake shown in Table 27.2 A Comparison of the Three Domains of Life CHARACTERISTIC Nuclear envelope Membraneenclosed organelles Peptidoglycan in cell wall Membrane lipids DOMAIN Bacteria Archaea Eukarya Absent Absent Present Absent Absent Present Present Absent Absent Unbranched hydrocarbons Some branched hydrocarbons Unbranched hydrocarbons RNA polymerase One kind Several kinds Several kinds Initiator amino acid for protein synthesis Formylmethionine Methionine Introns in genes Very rare Present in some genes Response to the antibiotics streptomycin and chloramphenicol Histones associated with DNA Circular chromosome Growth at temperatures > 100 C Growth usually inhibited Absent Growth not inhibited Present in some species Methionine Present in many genes Growth not inhibited Present Present Present Absent No Some species No Figure Extreme thermophiles. Orange and yellow colonies of thermophilic prokaryotes grow in the hot water of Yellowstone National Park s Grand Prismatic Spring. MAKE CONNECTIONS How might the enzymes of thermophiles differ from those of other organisms? (Review enzymes in Concept 8.4.) Figure Some species merely tolerate salinity, while others require an environment that is several times saltier than seawater (which has a salinity of 3.5%). For example, the proteins and cell wall of Halobacterium have unusual features that improve function in extremely salty environments but render these organisms incapable of survival if the salinity drops below 9%. Extreme thermophiles (from the Greek thermos, hot) thrive in very hot environments (Figure 27.17). For example, archaea in the genus Sulfolobus live in sulfur-rich volcanic springs as hot as 90 C. At temperatures this high, the cells of most organisms die because their DNA does not remain in a double helix and many of their proteins denature. Sulfolobus and other extreme thermophiles avoid this fate because they have structural and biochemical adaptations that make their DNA and proteins stable at high temperatures. One extreme thermophile that lives near deep-sea hot springs called hydrothermal vents is informally known as strain 121, since it can reproduce even at 121 C. Another extreme thermophile, Pyrococcus furiosus, is used in biotechnology as a source of DNA polymerase for the PCR technique (see Figure 20.8). Many other archaea live in more moderate environments. Consider the methanogens, archaea that release methane as a by-product of their unique ways of obtaining energy. Many methanogens use CO 2 to oxidize H 2, a process that produces both energy and methane waste. Among the strictest of anaerobes, methanogens are poisoned by O 2. Although some methanogens live in extreme environments, such as under kilometers of ice in Greenland, others live in swamps and marshes where other microorganisms have consumed all the O 2. The marsh gas found in such environments is the 580 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

15 methane released by these archaea. Other species inhabit the anaerobic guts of cattle, termites, and other herbivores, playing an essential role in the nutrition of these animals. Methanogens are also useful to humans as decomposers in sewage treatment facilities. Many extreme halophiles and all known methanogens are archaea in the clade Euryarchaeota (from the Greek eurys, broad, a reference to their wide habitat range). The euryarchaeotes also include some extreme thermophiles, though most thermophilic species belong to a second clade, Crenarchaeota (cren means spring, such as a hydrothermal spring). Recent metagenomic studies have identified many species of euryarchaeotes and crenarchaeotes that are not extremophiles. These archaea exist in habitats ranging from farm soils to lake sediments to the surface of the open ocean. New findings continue to inform our understanding of archaeal phylogeny. In 1996, researchers sampling a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park discovered archaea that do not appear to belong to either Euryarchaeota or Crenarchaeota. They placed these archaea in a new clade, Korarchaeota (from the Greek koron, young man). In 2002, researchers exploring hydrothermal vents off the coast of Iceland discovered archaeal cells only 0.4 μm in diameter attached to a much larger crenarchaeote. The genome of the smaller archaean is one of the smallest known of any organism, containing only 500,000 base pairs. Genetic analysis indicates that this prokaryote belongs to a fourth archaeal clade, Nanoarchaeota (from the Greek nanos, dwarf). Within a year after this clade was named, three other DNA sequences from nanoarchaeote species were isolated: one from Yellowstone s hot springs, one from hot springs in Siberia, and one from a hydrothermal vent in the Pacific. As metagenomic prospecting continues, the tree in Figure may well undergo further changes. CONC EPT CHECK Explain how molecular systematics and metagenomics have contributed to our understanding of the phylogeny and evolution of prokaryotes. 2. WHAT I F? What would the discovery of a bacterial species that is a methanogen imply about the evolution of the methane-producing pathway? CONCEPT 27.5 For suggested answers, see Appendix A. Prokaryotes play crucial roles in the biosphere If people were to disappear from the planet tomorrow, life on Earth would change for many species, but few would be driven to extinction. In contrast, prokaryotes are so important to the biosphere that if they were to disappear, the prospects of survival for many other species would be dim. Chemical Recycling The atoms that make up the organic molecules in all living things were at one time part of inorganic substances in the soil, air, and water. Sooner or later, those atoms will return there. Ecosystems depend on the continual recycling of chemical elements between the living and nonliving components of the environment, and prokaryotes play a major role in this process. For example, chemoheterotrophic prokaryotes function as decomposers, breaking down dead organisms as well as waste products and thereby unlocking supplies of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements. Without the actions of prokaryotes and other decomposers such as fungi, life as we know it would cease. (See Concept 55.4 for a detailed discussion of chemical cycles.) Prokaryotes also convert some molecules to forms that can be taken up by other organisms. Cyanobacteria and other autotrophic prokaryotes use CO 2 to make organic compounds such as sugars, which are then passed up through food chains. Cyanobacteria also produce atmospheric O 2, and a variety of prokaryotes fix atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ) into forms that other organisms can use to make the building blocks of proteins and nucleic acids. Under some conditions, prokaryotes can increase the availability of nutrients that plants require for growth, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (Figure 27.18). Prokaryotes Uptake of K + by plants (mg) No bacteria Strain 1 Strain 2 Soil treatment Strain 3 Seedlings growing in the lab Figure Impact of bacteria on soil nutrient availability. Pine seedlings grown in sterile soils to which one of three strains of the bacterium Burkholderia glathei had been added absorbed more potassium (K + ) than did seedlings grown in soil without any bacteria. Other results (not shown) demonstrated that strain 3 increased the amount of K + released from mineral crystals to the soil. WHAT I F? Estimate the average uptake of K + for seedlings in soils with bacteria. What would you expect this average to be if bacteria had no effect on nutrient availability? C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 581

16 can also decrease the availability of key plant nutrients; this occurs when prokaryotes immobilize nutrients by using them to synthesize molecules that remain within their cells. Thus, prokaryotes can have complex effects on soil nutrient concentrations. In marine environments, an archaean from the clade Crenarchaeota can perform nitrification, a key step in the nitrogen cycle (see Figure 55.14). Crenarchaeotes dominate the oceans by numbers, comprising an estimated cells. The sheer abundance of these organisms suggests that they may have a large impact on the global nitrogen cycle; scientists are investigating this possibility. Ecological Interactions Prokaryotes play a central role in many ecological interactions. Consider symbiosis (from a Greek word meaning living together ), an ecological relationship in which two species live in close contact with each other. Prokaryotes often form symbiotic associations with much larger organisms. In general, the larger organism in a symbiotic relationship is known as the host, and the smaller is known as the symbiont. There are many cases in which a prokaryote and its host participate in mutualism, an ecological interaction between two species in which both benefit (Figure 27.19). Other interactions take the form of commensalism, an ecological relationship in which one species benefits while the other is not harmed or helped in any significant way. For example, more than 150 bacterial species live on the surface of your body, covering portions of your skin with up to 10 million cells per square centimeter. Some of these species are commensalists: You provide them with food, such as the oils that exude from your pores, and a place to live, while they neither harm nor benefit you. Finally, some prokaryotes engage in parasitism, an ecological relationship in which a parasite eats the cell contents, tissues, or body fluids of its host. As a group, parasites harm but usually do not kill their host, at least not immediately (unlike a predator). Parasites that cause disease are known as pathogens, many of which are prokaryotic. (We ll discuss mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism in greater detail in Chapter 54.) The very existence of an ecosystem can depend on prokaryotes. For example, consider the diverse ecological communities found at hydrothermal vents. These communities are densely populated by many different kinds of animals, including worms, clams, crabs, and fishes. But since sunlight does not penetrate to the deep ocean floor, the community does not include photosynthetic organisms. Instead, the energy that supports the community is derived from the metabolic activities of chemoautotrophic bacteria. These bacteria harvest chemical energy from compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) that are released from the vent. An active hydrothermal vent may support hundreds of eukaryotic species, but when the vent stops releasing chemicals, the chemoautotrophic bacteria cannot survive. As a result, the entire vent community collapses. CONC EPT CHECK Explain how prokaryotes, though small, can be considered giants in their collective impact on Earth and its life. 2. MAKE CONNECTIONS Review photosynthesis in Figure Then summarize the main steps by which cyanobacteria produce O 2 and use CO 2 to make organic compounds. CONCEPT 27.6 For suggested answers, see Appendix A. Prokaryotes have both beneficial and harmful impacts on humans Although the best-known prokaryotes tend to be the bacteria that cause human illness, these pathogens represent only a small fraction of prokaryotic species. Many other prokaryotes have positive interactions with people, and some play essential roles in agriculture and industry. Mutualistic Bacteria Figure Mutualism: bacterial headlights. The glowing oval below the eye of the flashlight fish (Photoblepharon palpebratus) is an organ harboring bioluminescent bacteria. The fish uses the light to attract prey and to signal potential mates. The bacteria receive nutrients from the fish. As is true for many other eukaryotes, human well-being can depend on mutualistic prokaryotes. For example, our intestines are home to an estimated 500 1,000 species of bacteria; their cells outnumber all human cells in the body by a factor of ten. Different species live in different portions of the intestines, and they vary in their ability to process different foods. Many of these species are mutualists, digesting food that our own intestines cannot break down. For example, the genome of one of these gut mutualists, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, 582 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

17 includes a large array of genes involved in synthesizing carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutrients needed by humans. Signals from the bacterium activate human genes that build the network of intestinal blood vessels necessary to absorb nutrient molecules. Other signals induce human cells to produce antimicrobial compounds to which B. thetaiotaomicron is not susceptible. This action may reduce the population sizes of other, competing species, thus potentially benefiting both B. thetaiotaomicron and its human host. Pathogenic Bacteria All the pathogenic prokaryotes known to date are bacteria, and they deserve their negative reputation. Bacteria cause about half of all human diseases. For example, more than 1 million people die each year of the lung disease tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. And another 2 million people die each year from diarrheal diseases caused by various bacteria. Some bacterial diseases are transmitted by other species, such as fleas or ticks. In the United States, the most widespread pest-carried disease is Lyme disease, which infects 15,000 to 20,000 people each year (Figure 27.20). Caused by a bacterium carried by ticks that live on deer and field mice, Lyme disease can result in debilitating arthritis, heart disease, nervous disorders, and death if untreated. Pathogenic prokaryotes usually cause illness by producing poisons, which are classified as exotoxins or endotoxins. Exotoxins are proteins secreted by certain bacteria and other organisms. Cholera, a dangerous diarrheal disease, is caused by an exotoxin secreted by the proteobacterium Vibrio cholerae. The exotoxin stimulates intestinal cells to release chloride ions into the gut, and water follows by osmosis. In another example, the potentially fatal disease botulism is caused by botulinum toxin, an exotoxin secreted by the gram-positive bacterium Clostridium botulinum as it 5 μm ferments various foods, including improperly canned meat, seafood, and vegetables. Like other exotoxins, the botulinum toxin can produce disease even if the bacteria that manufacture it are no longer present when the food is eaten. Another species in the same genus, C. difficile, produces exotoxins that cause severe diarrhea, resulting in more than 12,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharide components of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. In contrast to exotoxins, endotoxins are released only when the bacteria die and their cell walls break down. Endotoxin-producing bacteria include species in the genus Salmonella, such as Salmonella typhi, which causes typhoid fever. You might have heard of food poisoning caused by other Salmonella species that can be found in poultry and some fruits and vegetables. Since the 19th century, improved sanitation systems in the industrialized world have greatly reduced the threat of pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotics have saved a great many lives and reduced the incidence of disease. However, resistance to antibiotics is currently evolving in many bacterial strains. As you read earlier, the rapid reproduction of bacteria enables cells carrying resistance genes to quickly give rise to large populations as a result of natural selection, and these genes can also spread to other species by horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer can also spread genes associated with virulence, turning normally harmless bacteria into potent pathogens. E. coli, for instance, is ordinarily a harmless symbiont in the human intestines, but pathogenic strains that cause bloody diarrhea have emerged. One of the most dangerous strains, O157:H7, is a global threat; in the United States alone, there are 75,000 cases of O157:H7 infection per year, often from contaminated beef or produce. In 2001, scientists sequenced the genome of O157:H7 and compared it with the genome of a harmless strain of E. coli called K-12. They discovered that 1,387 out of the 5,416 genes in O157:H7 have no counterpart in K-12. Many of these 1,387 genes are found in chromosomal regions that include phage DNA. This suggests that at least some of the 1,387 genes were incorporated into the genome of O157:H7 through phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer (transduction). Some of the genes found only in O157:H7 are associated with virulence, including genes that code for adhesive fimbriae that enable O157:H7 to attach itself to the intestinal wall and extract nutrients. Figure Lyme disease. Ticks in the genus Ixodes spread the disease by transmitting the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (colorized SEM). A rash may develop at the site of the tick s bite; the rash may be large and ring-shaped (as shown) or much less distinctive. Prokaryotes in Research and Technology On a positive note, we reap many benefits from the metabolic capabilities of both bacteria and archaea. For example, people have long used bacteria to convert milk to cheese and yogurt. In recent years, our greater understanding of C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 583

18 prokaryotes has led to an explosion of new applications in biotechnology; two examples are the use of E. coli in gene cloning (see Figure 20.2) and the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in producing transgenic plants (see Figure 35.25). Naturally occurring soil bacteria may have potential for combating diseases that affect crop plants; in the Scientific Skills Exercise, you can interpret data from an experiment studying the effect of these bacteria. Bacteria may soon figure prominently in another major industry: plastics. Globally, each year about 350 billion pounds of plastic are produced from petroleum and used to make toys, storage containers, soft drink bottles, and many other items. These products degrade slowly, creating environmental problems. Bacteria can now be used to make natural plastics (Figure 27.21). For example, some bacteria synthesize a type of polymer known as PHA Figure Bacteria synthesizing and storing PHA, a component of biodegradeable plastics. Figure Bioremediation of an oil spill. Spraying fertilizer stimulates the growth of native bacteria that metabolize oil, increasing the breakdown process up to fivefold. (polyhydroxyalkanoate), which they use to store chemical energy. The PHA can be extracted, formed into pellets, and used to make durable, yet biodegradable, plastics. Another way to harness prokaryotes is in bioremediation, the use of organisms to remove pollutants from soil, air, or water. For example, anaerobic bacteria and archaea decompose the organic matter in sewage, converting it to material that can be used as landfill or fertilizer after chemical sterilization. Other bioremediation applications include cleaning up oil spills (Figure 27.22) and precipitating radioactive material (such as uranium) out of groundwater. Through genetic engineering, we can now modify bacteria to produce vitamins, antibiotics, hormones, and S CIENTIF IC S KILLS E XERCISE Making a Bar Graph and Interpreting Data Do Soil Microorganisms Protect Against Crop Disease? The soil layer surrounding plant roots, called the rhizosphere, is a complex community in which archaea, bacteria, fungi, and plants interact with one another. When crop plants are attacked by fungal or bacterial pathogens, in some cases soil from the rhizosphere protects plants from future attacks. Such protective soil is called disease-suppressive soil. Plants grown in diseasesuppressive soils appear to be less vulnerable to pathogen attack. In this exercise, you ll interpret data from an experiment studying whether microorganisms were responsible for the protective effects of diseasesuppressive soils. How the Experiment Was Done The researchers obtained diseasesuppressive soil from 25 random sites in an agricultural field in the Netherlands in which sugar beet crops had previously been attacked by Rhizoctonia solani, a fungal pathogen that also afflicts potatoes and rice. The researchers collected other soil samples from the grassy margins of the field where sugar beets had not been grown. The researchers predicted that these soil samples from the margins would not offer protection against pathogens. The researchers then planted and raised sugar beets in greenhouses, using five different soil treatments. Each soil treatment was applied to four pots, and each pot contained eight plants. The pots were inoculated with R. solani. After 20 days, the percentage of infected sugar beet seedlings was determined for each pot and then averaged for each soil treatment. Data from the Experiment Soil Treatment Average Percentage of Seedlings Afflicted with Fungal Disease Disease-suppressive soil 3.0 Soil from margin of field 62 Soil from margin of field + 10% disease-suppressive soil Disease-suppressive soil heated to 50 C for 1 hour Disease-suppressive soil heated to 80 C for 1 hour Interpret the Data 1. What hypothesis were the researchers testing in this study? What is the independent variable in this study? What is the dependent variable? 2. What is the total number of pots used in this experiment, and how many plants received each soil treatment? Explain why multiple pots and plants were used for each treatment. 3. Use the data in the table to create a bar graph. Then, in words, describe and compare the results for the five soil treatments. 4. The researchers stated, Collectively, these results indicated that disease suppressiveness [of soil] toward Rhizoctonia solani was microbiological in nature. Is this statement supported by the results shown in the graph? Explain. A version of this Scientific Skills Exercise can be assigned in MasteringBiology. Data from R. Mendes et al. Deciphering the rhizosphere for disease-suppressive bacteria, Science 332: (2011) UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity

19 other products (see Chapter 20). Researchers are seeking to reduce fossil fuel use by engineering bacteria that can produce ethanol from various forms of biomass, including agricultural waste, switchgrass, municipal waste (such as paper products that are not recycled), and corn (Figure 27.23). The usefulness of prokaryotes largely derives from their diverse forms Figure Fuel production. Researchers are developing bacteria that produce ethanol (E-85) fuel from renewable plant products. of nutrition and metabolism. All this metabolic versatility evolved prior to the appearance of the structural novelties that heralded the evolution of eukaryotic organisms, to which we devote the remainder of this unit. CONC EPT CHECK Identify at least two ways that prokaryotes have affected you positively today. 2. A pathogenic bacterium s toxin causes symptoms that increase the bacterium s chance of spreading from host to host. Does this information indicate whether the poison is an exotoxin or endotoxin? Explain. 3. WHAT I F? How might a sudden and dramatic change in your diet affect the diversity of prokaryotic species that live in your digestive tract? For suggested answers, see Appendix A. 27 Chapter Review CONCEPT 27.1 SUMMARY OF KEY CONCEPTS Structural and functional adaptations contribute to prokaryotic success (pp ) Fimbriae: hairlike appendages that help cells adhere to other cells or to a substrate Capsule: sticky layer of polysaccharide or protein that can help cell adherence and/or evasion of a host s immune system Internal organization: no nucleus or other membraneenclosed organelles; usually no complex compartmentalization Flagella: structures used by most motile bacteria for propulsion; many species can move toward or away from certain stimuli Cell wall: found in nearly all prokaryotes; structure differs in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria Circular chromosome: often accompanied by smaller rings of DNA called plasmids Sex pilus: appendage that facilitates conjugation Many prokaryotic species can reproduce quickly by binary fission, leading to the formation of populations containing enormous numbers of individuals. Some form endospores, which can remain viable in harsh conditions for centuries.? Describe features of prokaryotes that enable them to thrive in a wide range of different environments. CONCEPT 27.2 Rapid reproduction, mutation, and genetic recombination promote genetic diversity in prokaryotes (pp ) Because prokaryotes can often proliferate rapidly, mutations can quickly increase a population s genetic variation. As a result, prokaryotic populations often can evolve in short periods of time in response to changing conditions. Genetic diversity in prokaryotes also can arise by recombination of the DNA from two different cells (via transformation, transduction, or conjugation). By transferring advantageous alleles, such as ones for antibiotic resistance, genetic recombination can promote adaptive evolution in prokaryotic populations.? Mutations are rare and prokaryotes reproduce asexually, yet their populations can have high genetic diversity. Explain how this can occur. CONCEPT 27.3 Diverse nutritional and metabolic adaptations have evolved in prokaryotes (pp ) Nutritional diversity is much greater in prokaryotes than in eukaryotes. As a group, prokaryotes perform all four modes of nutrition: photoautotrophy, chemoautotrophy, photohetero trophy, and chemoheterotrophy. Among prokaryotes, obligate aerobes require O 2, obligate anaerobes are poisoned by O 2, and facultative anaerobes can survive with or without O 2. Unlike eukaryotes, prokaryotes can metabolize nitrogen in many different forms. Some can convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, a process called nitrogen fixation. Prokaryotic cells and even species may cooperate metabolically. In Anabaena, photosynthetic cells and nitrogen-fixing cells exchange metabolic products. Metabolic cooperation also occurs in surface-coating biofilms that include different species.? Describe the range of prokaryotic metabolic adaptations. C HAPTER 27 Bacteria and Archaea 585

20 CONCEPT 27.4 Prokaryotes have radiated into a diverse set of lineages (pp ) Molecular systematics is helping biologists classify prokaryotes and identify new clades. Diverse nutritional types are scattered among the major groups of bacteria. The two largest groups are the proteobacteria and gram-positive bacteria. Some archaea, such as extreme thermophiles and extreme halophiles, live in extreme environments. Other archaea live in moderate environments such as soils and lakes.? How have molecular data informed prokaryotic phylogeny? CONCEPT 27.5 Prokaryotes play crucial roles in the biosphere (pp ) Decomposition by heterotrophic prokaryotes and the synthetic activities of autotrophic and nitrogen-fixing prokaryotes contribute to the recycling of elements in ecosystems. Many prokaryotes have a symbiotic relationship with a host; the relationships between prokaryotes and their hosts range from mutualism to commensalism to parasitism.? In what ways are prokaryotes key to the survival of many species? CONCEPT 27.6 Prokaryotes have both beneficial and harmful impacts on humans (pp ) People depend on mutualistic prokaryotes, including hundreds of species that live in our intestines and help digest food. Pathogenic bacteria typically cause disease by releasing exotoxins or endotoxins. Horizontal gene transfer can spread genes associated with virulence to harmless species or strains. Prokaryotes can be used in bioremediation, production of biodegradable plastics, and the synthesis of vitamins, antibiotics, and other products.? Describe beneficial and harmful impacts of prokaryotes on humans. 5. Bacteria perform the following ecological roles. Which role typically does not involve symbiosis? a. skin commensalist c. gut mutualist b. decomposer d. pathogen 6. Plantlike photosynthesis that releases O 2 occurs in a. cyanobacteria. c. archaea. b. gram-positive bacteria. d. chemoautotrophic bacteria. LEVEL 2: APPLICATION/ANALYSIS 7. EVOLUTION CONNECTION In patients with nonresistant strains of the tuberculosis bacterium, antibiotics can relieve symptoms in a few weeks. However, it takes much longer to halt the infection, and patients may discontinue treatment while bacteria are still present. How might this result in the evolution of drug-resistant pathogens? LEVEL 3: SYNTHESIS/EVALUATION 8. SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY I NTERPRET THE DATA The nitrogen-fixing bacterium Rhizobium infects the roots of some plant species, forming a mutualism in which the bacterium provides nitrogen, and the plant provides carbohydrates. Scientists measured the 12- week growth of one such plant species (Acacia irrorata) when infected by six different Rhizobium strains. (a) Graph the data. (b) Interpret your graph. Rhizobium strain Plant mass (g) Source: J. J. Burdon et al., Variation in the effectiveness of symbiotic associations between native rhizobia and temperate Australian Acacia: within species interactions, Journal of Applied Ecology 36: (1999). Note: Without Rhizobium, after 12 weeks, Acacia plants have a mass of about 0.1 g. 9. WRITE ABOUT A THEME: ENERGY In a short essay (about words), discuss how prokaryotes and other members of hydrothermal vent communities transfer and transform energy. 10. SYNTHESIZE YOUR KNOWLEDGE TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING LEVEL 1: KNOWLEDGE/COMPREHENSION 1. Genetic variation in bacterial populations cannot result from a. transduction. c. mutation. b. conjugation. d. meiosis. 2. Photoautotrophs use a. light as an energy source and CO 2 as a carbon source. b. light as an energy source and methane as a carbon source. c. N 2 as an energy source and CO 2 as a carbon source. d. CO 2 as both an energy source and a carbon source. 3. Which of the following statements is not true? a. Archaea and bacteria have different membrane lipids. b. The cell walls of archaea lack peptidoglycan. c. Only bacteria have histones associated with DNA. d. Only some archaea use CO 2 to oxidize H 2, releasing methane. 4. Which of the following involves metabolic cooperation among prokaryotic cells? a. binary fission c. biofilms b. endospore formation d. photoautotrophy Explain how the small size and rapid reproduction rate of bacteria (such as the population shown here on the tip of a pin) contribute to their large population sizes and high genetic variation. For selected answers, see Appendix A. Students Go to MasteringBiology for assignments, the etext, and the Study Area with practice tests, animations, and activities. Instructors Go to MasteringBiology for automatically graded tutorials and questions that you can assign to your students, plus Instructor Resources. 586 UNIT FIVE The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity